The Environment Needs Freedom Of Information – Ma Jun

From ChinaDialogue website:

The Chinese government recently issued rules to increase official transparency, requiring companies and government departments to publish their environmental records for the first time. Ma Jun calls on citizens to make good use of the information.

On April 25, China’s State Council issued a new set of regulations on open government information. Shortly afterwards, Pan Yue, deputy director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), announced that trial regulations on the release of environmental information will come into effect from May 1 2008. These regulations – the first departmental rules relating to the release of state information – are a milestone on the path to guaranteeing the public’s right to access environmental information. The regulations make wider public participation in conservation possible, and provide an incentive for environmental departments to act according to the law. [Full Text]